Machines, mechanisms, and frames are very common. It is also common for the support elements of machines, mechanisms, and frames to be exposed to substantial loads. Exposure to substantial loads militate the support elements of machines, mechanisms, and frames be capable of withstanding substantial loads without mechanical failure.
Unless otherwise noted, as it is used herein, “mechanical failure” is any sort of deformation, including but not limited to, breakage, bending, twisting, fracture, yielding, buckling, necking, or cracking, that substantially diminishes the capability of a support element to perform the function desired of it. Not all deformation is mechanical failure; some elastic deformation is unavoidable and some elastic deformation is to be expected during loading of any real support element.
For a support element formed of a given material, the capacity to withstand a given load is a function of, among other factors, the cross-sectional area of the load bearing element. One common way to increase the capacity of the loads that a support element can withstand without mechanical failure is to increase the cross-sectional area of the load bearing element by increasing the size of the support element.
Increasing the size of a support element often adds cost. It remains desirable to provide relatively inexpensive support element which are capable of withstanding large loads without mechanical failure.